Porter Urges Action On Supreme Court Nomination

Call your senators to urge them to remain in staunch opposition. Contact family members outside Connecticut to do the same. Email, call, email again and again. And get off the couch, and get to the ballot box.

“Our liberation is interconnected,” said Alicia Strong (pictured), executive director of CAIR-CT, a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim rights organization, Strong stands in strong opposition to the upholding of the Muslim ban.

“Why do we have to be separate?” she asked. She called on the crowd to “mobilize [to] address the division of people here in Connecticut.”

“[LGBTQ+ people] are in every part of your life because we are a silent minority that represents a microcosm of the larger community,” said New Haven Pride Center Executive Director Patrick Dunn, emphasizing the ubiquity of non-gender conforming individuals. Dunn warned that the nomination of Justice Kavanaugh could “dismantle decades of work by the LGBTQ+ community.”

Trans rights activist IV Staklo (pictured) echoed Dunn’s sentiment and advocated for the necessity for solidarity, especially amongst the “U.S. working class people” with whom they identify. “We need to resist this appointment with all of our masses in our streets,” they said. “We cannot just rely on politicians to do the work for us.”

The event brought together New Haveners of all ages, races, and backgrounds donning bright pink Planned Parenthood shirts and wielding colorful posters defending various human rights organizations. Five counterprotesters stood nearby attempting to shout over the speeches.

“We trust women!” the crowd chanted.

“What about the babies!” chanted the counterprotesters. Three young teenagers positioned themselves behind the speakers, making their “I am the pro-life generation” posters visible between the pink Planned Parenthood placards.

State Rep. Porter (pictured) took to the podium to close out the evening and emphasized the need to “overflood” the U.S. senators with emails and calls opposing Kavanugh’s nomination. Connecticut’s two U.S. senators have already declared their intentions to vote against the nomination.

“We’ve got to do more than rally and protest,” Porter said. The Republicans in D.C. “are sitting high on their horse because we sat on the couch.”

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posted by: Noteworthy on July 11, 2018 8:07am

A protest rooted in ignorance and politics is an extraordinary thing to watch. There is no evidence, no court decision by the nominee that would indicated Roe is in danger, that LGBTQ protections are in jeopardy. Funding for Planned Parenthood is a separate political/budget issue that has nothing to do with the supreme court nominee.

Moreover - the nomination is less than 48 hours old - and yet, state and national politicians - with no information, no testimony, no hearings, no conversations, no review of court cases - immediately go into protest mode, whipping the crowd into a frenzy of ignorance and herd mentality.

The NHI should have interviewed Rep. Porter - and any of these protesters to find out exactly what their beef is - what do they personally know about this candidate that is worthy of their protest or would they be out there regardless because it’s a hate Trump thing? Hate GOP thing?

Just as a point of clarity - It was DEMOCRAT Senator Harry Reid who first lowered the bar to court appointments in the U.S. Senate. It was DEMOCRATS who tried to burn down the Judge Gorsuch nomination and took advise and consent to to such lengths the bar was lowered again. Now these same DEMOCRATS, including Sens. Blumenthal, Murphy et al are powerless to influence the outcome and so they auto-deny, demonize and denigrate.

And locals, rooted in ignorance follow the lead. This is what gives us rotten government and a divided nation - and our fake representatives lap it up and use it to fuel their un-representation.

posted by: wesunidad on July 11, 2018 10:09am

Yup. trump who is called “the useful idiot” by the Russians is filling the swamp just like we thought he would.

However, Kavanugh through his earlier decisions as a judge has a record of hate towards women, unions, minorities and just because he “mentioned” the word Harvard in his speech doesn’t mean he’s smart. He knows he isn’t and just want some people to think he is.

But, like attracts like and that’s why trump dragged this one into the swamp with him.

posted by: ClassActionToo on July 11, 2018 11:35am

wesunidad: The lowest base level of those who disagree with another’s point of view (be it political, social, religious, cultural, etc.) is to label that individual with the most currently used pejoratives and implications like “hate, not smart, idiot, etc.” I am a bit surprised that the pinnacle of negative labels - “racist” was missing from your comment about Mr. Kavanaugh. How on earth did you miss that one? Offer a reasoned opinion about Mr. Kavanaugh that can be debated based on the merits/demerits his actual record. Rhetorical flame throwing is so counterproductive to your cause and it really says more about you than him.

posted by: Noteworthy on July 11, 2018 12:00pm

@wesunidad

Your comment is indicative of exactly about which I posted my earlier comment. That said, given what you wrote, please provide an example of Kavanaugh’s “hate” against all those categories of people.

I would love to hear Rep. Robyn Porter’s defense of her commentary as well in light of her “leading role” in this protest.

posted by: Babz Rawls Ivy on July 11, 2018 1:02pm

There is so much at stake with any potential Justice being considered for lifetime judicial service. This president has said over and over and again with words and actions he plans to dismantle all the gains made on behalf of a woman’s right to choose, voter rights, educational supports, organized labor.

Make no mistake, all the signs and examples are CLEAR! The dismantling of the gains made in the last 40 years are on the chopping block. Protesting is the cornerstone of democracy… We value it as Americans. We teach it and celebrate it to others as a model on how democracy works. I am always dismayed when people are flippant about protest… It is perhaps one of the best American tools we have.

posted by: Mooks on July 11, 2018 1:41pm

I don’t know about anyone else but I am really enjoying these Where’s Waldo type pictures of Ned Lamont at various progressive gatherings lately. I am sure he has been going to these types of things all along though and not just now that he is running for governor though.

posted by: John R. McCommas on July 11, 2018 5:56pm

Just what did little babies ever do to the members of this mob to deserve such contempt?